Molding machine



March 3, 1931.

w. E. sKlDMoRE MoLDING MACHINE O s sheets-sheet 1 u :l l r .L

W. E. SKDMORE MOLDING MACHINE March, 1931.

Filed'Oct. 13. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwntoz WIE S 07m afg I dbbomqPatented Maas, iesi WALTER E. sirinivionn, or nase iii'vniaroon, oiiioMOLDING- MASSH'INE' fnppneaucii ined eetote ia, 192s. seriai no.312,323."

" This invention relates to improvements in molding machines andconstitutes anl rini` provement upony my former Patent No. 1,262,276.v fY Y The present mold is designed l'iarticularly foruse in the formingofinsulators and lhas for its particular object topprovide a machine of'greater efficiency than my former inachine,` and vin which Lanimprovedineans'is employe-d for operatiiig'theside mold toggle arinsby means ofwhich the same can be swung through greater arcs for the performance oftheir rvarious operating movements, l Another yobjectof thel presentinvention is to provide a machine of the above described characterydesigned tofbe operated byme'- chanical power,` making use of a new andnovel means for vertically reciprocating the plunger of the machine. Y j

A still further object ofthe invention is to providek a molding machineof the above describedcharacter wherein is lemployed a? novel type ofmolded article vextracting mechanism'designed to operate immediatelyfol? lowing the rseparation of side 1dies to strip i the article fromthe centerl or core die.

f The `invention will Ibe best understoodfroin a consideration ofthefollowing detailed de# scription taken in connectionwith theaccompanying drawings forming part of 'this speci-Y fication, with theunderstanding, Vhowever, that the invention is not confined to-anystrict conformity with the showing ofthe drawings but may be changed ormodified so long as such changes or modifications niark no materialdeparture from the salient-'features ofy the invention as expressed inthe appended claims. I 'In the drawings A Figure 1 is a front elevationof the device embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a` sideelevation of the same, partly broken away; l Y

Figure 3 is a verticalv sectional view showing the mold elements andthev mechanisi for removing the molded article g Y Figure tA is 'a'horizontal sectional `view Von the line Ji-+4 of Figure 1; f Figure 5 isa horizontal sectional viewI on the line '5;5 of Figure 1 ;A 1

eefcentricpin 16 which connects with a hori- VFigure6 is afverticalsectionalview on the line 6 6 of Figure '5; 1

Figure 'I' is a sectional view taken on the line 'Z-,Tof Figure Il.` Y

Referring more particularly to the drawings ,='the numerals 1 indicateay pair of up# right side beams of the frame of the present 'inold thesebeams being mounted in a suitableinanner upon the base 2 and connectedat their upper ends by a plungerguide beam 3 and at a point intermediatetheir ends and adjacent the beam'i, by asecond or `brace beams'. Thecentral portion of the beam 3 has-fa recessformedtherethrough asindicatedat 5, this recess being` normally covered 65 by a plate whichacts to maintain a plunger, hereinafter described in upright position. Y

Adjacent their'lower ends, the side membersfl of the frame are connectedby a charge receiving receptacle supporting beam or platform 7` in thecentral portion of Awhich `is mounted the charge receiving receptacle 8,

k'Atthe rear 'of Veachv of `the frame members 1,'thereis located anupright beam 9, 'these beams being mounted upon the base 2 and connectedat their upper ends `tothemembers 1 by the horizontal pieces 10.Themenlbers flare also connectedA together by an upper beam 11 and anintermediate beam 12, the ybeam12 being designed tosupport a `driveshaft 13, upon the outer end of whicha suitablepulley '14 is mounted.

.At its forward end the shaft 13 is rotatablyfinountedin a suitablebearing formed in an upright plate` 15, which plate isvlocated s' midwaybetween the side members 1, resting at itslowei' end upon the base 2audits upper end being connected lo the receptacle supporting beam 7 in`the manner shown.

Apinion 16 is Vmounted upon the forward end of the 4shaft 13. whichmeshes with a gear 17 suitably rotatably lmounted upon the plate 15,-this gear being providedv with an Zontal lower drive beam 19. lfis-shownthis drive'beain 19 extends transversely of the machine frame.;A havingits ends extended through vertical slots 2O formed in the lower portionsof the members 1.

The-outer ends of the lower drive beam are f 0 horizontal upper drivebeam 22,

connected by adjustable drive links 21 with similarly projecting ends ofa substantially this upper drive beam extending transversely of themachine frame and having its ends extending through long guide slots 23formed longitudinally through the side members and extending through asubstantial length ot their upper ends. The outer ends of the beam22 areprovided with a series ot apertures 24 so thatadjustment ot' the upperends of the links 21 may be made longitudinally thereof.

Connected intermediate its ends to the upper drive beam 22 at the centerthereof is a vertically arranged reciprocable plunger 25 which extendsdownwardly through the recess 5 in which it is held by the plate G. Asshown this plunger, adjacent its lower end, has Jformed therethrough alongitudinally extending slot 2G", the lower portion ot. which slotopens into a longitudinally extending hoi-e 27, the lower portion otwhich bore is enlarged as indicated at 2S and opens through the lowerend of the plunger. As is shown in Figure 3 the lower end ot this boreis threaded.

The bore 27 has positioned therein an ejector pin member 29 whichextends downwardly therethrough projecting beyond the lower portion otthe plunger and extending into a longitudinally extending bore 30 formedin a central die member 31. rllhis core die me1n ber 31 as shown hasthreaded connection in the lower end of the enlarged portion 28 of thebore and the wall of the die is provided with the diametricallyoppositely positioned longitudinally extending slots 32 in whichreciprocates the ends of a transverse pin 33 which is carried bytheVlower end of the ejector pin 29. The pin 29 also carries a disk 34which snugly slidably positions in the enlarged portion 28 of the bore27 limiting the upward movement of the pin and acting as an abutment forthe upper end of a coiled spring 35 encircling the pin'therebeneath andresting upon the upper end of the center or core die 31 in the mannershown. A

Surrounding the die 31 is an ejector sleeve 36 with the upper end owhich the ends of the pin 33 connect Vso that movement of the pin 33will cause the sleeve 36 to slide upon the center die 31.

Positioned in the recess 26 of the plunger is a roller member 37 havinga shaft 38 eX- tending therethrough and each end of this shatt hassliding pivotal connection in an arcuate slot 33 formed through each ofa pair of crossed toggle links 39, the .connection being made adjacentthe lower ends of the links as Shown in Figure 1. rllhe upper ends ofthese links connect with roller members 40 while the lower ends thereotpivotally connect as at 41 with the lower ends or?l die carrying links42 these links 42 being located which co-operates with the central die31 to form the product for which the machine is constructed.

- Adjustably secured tothe inner face of each side member 1 adjacent thebrace beam 4 is a block 45 over the inner tace of which the rollers 40of the adjacent pair of toggle links 39 passes during the operation ofthe machine. These'bloeks are secured in adjusted position by bolts 46which pass therethrough and through the slots 23 in the supporting framemember being held to the frame member by tightening a nut upon the outerend of the bolt to bind the block against the frame infthe manner shown.Arranged against the inner face ot' each side member 1 adjacent and tooverlie the stationary die supporting beam 7 is a -lower block 47, eachof these blocks carrying bolts 48 which pass therethrough and throughthe lower ends of slots 23, the block being bound to the frame in thesame manner in which the blocks 45 are secured thereto, that is by theapplication of a suitable nut upon the outer end of the bolt to. drawthe bolt and block into position.

The block members 47 coaeL with rollers 49 mounted upon and projectinglaterally from the lower ends of the die links 42 to maintain the diehalves 44 tightly together about the core 31 when a molded body is beingformed.

In operating the present machine, the receptacle 8 which is formed tosnugly receive the center die 31 and side dies 44-when they have beenbrought to position thereabout, is charged with a suitable amount ofplastic inaterial to be molded such as clay or the like and uponapplication of suitable driving power to the gear 17 the drive beams 19and 22 will be drawn downwardly, thus bringing the plunger 25 down andcausing the center and outside dies to enter the material contained inthe receptacle 8. During the irst part of this downward movement therollers 40 of the toggle links will move inwardly and down the faces oftheir respective blocks 45, thus operating the toggle links 39 to swingthe side dies 44 together, causing them to encase the central die 31.

As the dies move into position in the receptacle 8, the plastic materialtherein is 'forced upwardly into the space between the side diesand thecentral die.l The side dies 44 are caused to press firmly together bythe passing of the rollersk 49 which are carried upon the lower ends ofthe die links 42 over the inner faces of the lower blocks 47. `Duringthe downward movement of; the plunger and while the same is at itslowermostrpoint, the

lifter the insulator `body hasbeen `formed,

w or inotherv words, after the pin 18 has swung beyond its llowermostposition on the drive gear `1,7 ,z the reverse or upward movement of thebeams 19 and 22 is begun;

This upward movement. first causes a release of the pressure'ofthe sidedies44 against the material interposed .between them and the center die31by` the movement of the rollers 49 ofi of the inner faces of theblocks 4T.'k

Further'upward lmovement of. thel beams and of the links 42 brings therollers 40 of the toggle links to position where they caninove laterallyoverthe tops ot the blocks 45, their -further upward and lateralmovementbeing stopped by `thebrace :beam 4. and the side members 1against which they abut. 'This operation causes the lower.` ends of thetoggle links to' swing apart in the .manner shown. As clearly shown inFigure 1 when the links have reached the'positions above described, thatis the position Where the side dies are entirely free of the insulatorcarried upon lthe coredie 3, the pivotal connection 18 between the gear.17 and the beam 19 will not have reached the limit otits movementupward. The continued rotation of the gear 17 forces the plunger 25lupwardly thus bringing the upper end ofthe ejector pin 29 against-theroller 37 forcing it, andthe sleeve 36, downywardly, the sleeve slidingon the core die to push oil' Athe formed insulator.

It is of course, clear that owing to the fact that the links39 cannotnieve furtherA laterally at their upper ends, in order to permit theirlower ends to shift in order to allow the attached links 42 to move withthe plunger 25, the arcuate slots 38 are provided.r It will be readilyseen that as an-upward pullis exerted upon the' links 42 their lowerends will be swiingfurther apart because of the pivotal connection lat41 with the links 39 and theslots 38 are provided to permit the links 39to havel sufficient swinging movement to permit this action.

In order to maintain the plunger 251in the proper position an adjustingmeans is provided which comprises four screws cach of which visindicated by the numeral 50. These screws' are# threaded throughsupporting blocks bl' located. Iadjacent each corner or" the plui`er'257as shown in Figure4 and cach cari' e-s upon its forward end theswivel head termed to receive the adjacent corner of the-plunger. '.Aswill bey readily seen upon' i referring to Figure 4the four screws 50may be' adjusted so vthat the plunger-25 will be held in the `properposition for vertical reciproeation.v f' 1 f In-orderito-.maketheoperating action or" the upperv ends of the links 39more positivethere'isprovided a spring ftor attachment at 'one end to the upper endsof these links,l Y

each ol the springs being extended through thefadjaceiit recess; or slotltothe outside oi'" the; frame where it is attached to the ad-- jacentbolt 4G. 'lt'. will'zbe se'eiithat when the linksyllare ,drawn togethertlief springs 3 i'S-'i-'llbe placedunde'r tensioinand will op, e'ateatoi make tlieretiirn ofl-the-links, posi- -Fronrithe foregoing.description, itwill bereadily understood that theinacliine hereiiidescri-bed constitutes .a simple and efficient means for rapidlyforming insulators and other pressed articles or' ,this character, the

machinebeing of strong'and rugged construe`` suk tion and,comparatively,inexpensive to set up,

and operate. v laving thus described my invention, what claimisrv .s

fr molding machine ofthe characterdescribed,,comprisiiiga receptacle, avertically reciprocableplunger, a center mold carried .by said plunger,side molds arranged upon opposite sides of the center mold, said centermold and sidemolds being designedto enter the receptacle, crossedtoggle, arms vpivotallyl connected intermediate their ends eachcontrolling at its lower ,end one of .said side molds and having its.yother end free, roller members carriedcupon the tree ends of lthetoggle arms, and guide elements adjustably mounted at opposite sidesotthe plunger for. governing the movements ofthe roller carry? ing ends otthe toggle arms. A

2. A molding machine of the character described, comprisiiig aIreceptacle, a vei ally reciprocable plunger,v a `center mold ca ried bysaid plunger, sidemoldsarranged `upon opposite sides oft the centermold, said center mold and side molds being designed to enter thereceptacle, crossed toggle arms pivotally connected intermediate theirends each controlling at its lower end oneoi saidside molds andhavingit-s ,other end free, roller members carried yupon the free. ends `ofthe toggle arms, guide elements adj ustably moiiiitedfat opposite sidesoi. the plunger for governing the .movements of the roller carry! ingends ofthe ,toggle arms, and meanscontrolled by thetoggle arms at acert-ain period in the operation of the; inufhineier eject-ing amoldedai'ticlefrom said center mold. l

3. A mold machine oi? the character described, `cominjising a trameincluding a pair A beam inr alinement with saidreceptacle, a'l

center mold carried by saidbeain, means -ior supporting a pair of sidemolds at opposite sides of said center mold,- crossed pivotallyconnected .toggle arms each connected atits lower ends with a side mold,and means for controlling relative movement of said toggle arms duringthe. operation of the machine for separating or bringing together saidside molds about the center mold.

4. A mold machine of the character described,comprising a frameincluding a pair of spaced upright side members, a material receptaclearranged between said side inembers, a transversely extending verticallyreciprocable operating beam carried by the side members, al verticallymounted plunger carried by said beam in alinement with said receptacle,a center mold carried by said beam, means for supporting a pair of sidemolds at opposite sides of said center mold, crossed pivotally connectedtoggle arm-s each v connected at its lower ends with the side mold,means for controlling relative movement of said toggle arms during theoperation of the machine for separating or bringing together said sidemolds about the center mold, and means for adjusting said last mentionedmeans for increasing or decreasing the time period ot operation of thetoggle arms.

5. A inold machine of the character described, comprising a frameincluding a pair of spaced upright side members, a. material receptaclearranged between said side members, a transversely extending verticallyreciprocable operating beam carried by the side members, a verticallymounted plunger carried by said beam in alineinent with said receptacle,a center mold carried by said beam, means for supporting a pair of sidemolds at opposite sides of said center mold, crossed pivotallyconnect-ed toggle arms each connected at its lower ends with the sidemold, means for controlling relative movement of said toggle arms duringthe operation of the machine forseparating or bringing together saidside molds about the center mold, means associate-d with said plungerfor removing a formed article from the center mold after the same hasbeen extracted from the stationary mold, and means carried by the togglearms V for operating the article removing means.

6. A mold of the character described, coinprising a receptacle, avertically reciprocable plunger arranged over said receptacle, acentral. die carried at the lower end of Y said plunger, means forreciprocating said plunger, depending link members carried by said meansat opposite sides of the plungerha pair of side dies each carried by oneot said links, said dies being designed to close about the central die,crossed toggle arms pivota-lly connected intermediate their ends andhaving the pivotal connection extending through a longitudinal sl'ot inthe plunger, said toggles each being pivotally connected at its lowerend to one ot said links, means acting upon the other end s of thetoggle arms for causing relative movement therebetween during theoperation of the plunger, and mea-ns actuated` by the toggle arms forcausing the stripping of a. formed article from said central die whenthe side dies are in open posit-ion.

7 A molding machine having a vertically reciprocable plunger carrying acenter die at its lower end and having a pair of laterally shiftableside dies arranged on opposite sides of the central die and means forstripping a formed article from the center die after the saine has beenformed thereaboiit between the side dies and in a receptaclecomprising asleeve surrounding the central die inwardly of the position .occupiedthereon by a molded article, a reciprocating pin operating within acentral passage formed inthe plunger and extending into the central die,lateral pins carried by the first-mentioned pin extending throughlongitudinal slots in the centraly die for engagement with said sleeve,the upper end of the iirst-mentioned pin projecting into a slot formedloiigitudinally through the plunger, resilient means normally retainingthe first-mentioned pin in retractedV position, a pair of toggle armscrossed intermediate their ends and each having connection with one ofsaid side dies, a pivot pin extending through the toggle arms andthrough said plunger slot for engagement with the first-mentioned pin,and means for causing relative movement between the toggle arms duringthe operation of the machine for operatingthe ejector mechanism.

8. A mold of the character described, comprising a frame including apair of upright side members each having longitudinally extending slotstherethrough adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, transverselyextending upper and lower power beams having their ends extendingthrough adjacent ones of said slots, adjustable connecting links betweenthe adjacent ends of the beams, a plunger carried by the upper beam,depending link members carried by the upper beam at opposite sides ofthe plunger, a die unit co-operating with a material receptacle andincluding a central die member carried by said plunger and side diemembers arranged on opposite sides of the central member and carried bysaid links, toggle arms crossed intermediate their ends and havingpivotal sliding connection with said plunger, the lower ends of saidtoggle arms being pivotallyvconnected to adjacent links, means actingupon the other ends of the toggle arms during the operation of themachine for causing relative movement therebetween, and driving meansconnected to the lower ones of said power beams for raising and loweringthe same.

9. A molding machine of the character described comprising a receptacle,a plunger, a center mold carried by said plunger, side molds arrangedupon opposite sides of the center mold, said centermold and side moldsbeing designed to enter the receptacle, crossed togg1e' arms pivot-allyconnected intermediate their ends each controlling. at its lower end oneof said side molds and having its otherV l endfree, and guide elementsmounted at opposite sides of the plunger for governing the movements ofthe free ends of the toggle arms.

10. A .molding machine of the character described Comprising areceptacle, a plunger,

a center mold carried by Said plunger, side Y molds arranged uponopposite sides of the center mold, said Center mold and side molds`being designedto enter the receptacle, crossed toggle arms pivotallyconnected intermediate their ends each controlling at its lower endonevof said side molds and having its other end free, guide elementsmounted at opposite sides of the vplunger for governing the movements ofthe free ends ofthe toggle arms, and means operated by said arms at a.predetermined period of theirmovement for stripping a molded articlefrom the -oenvterl mold.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

' WALTER E'. SKIDMORE.

